Hockey East returns to Fenway Park

Historic park will host outdoor game as part of 'Frozen Fenway'

BOSTON - The City of Boston, the Boston Red Sox, Hockey East Association and Fenway Sports Management announced , the return of ice to Fenway Park for Frozen Fenway 2012 with a Hockey East doubleheader on Jan. 7, 2012 pending approval from the city.

“Few experiences in my four decades in college hockey were as special as the first Frozen Fenway in 2010,” said Hockey East Commissioner Joe Bertagna. “It was a once in a lifetime experience for our four schools the first time around and I expect the same in 2012. Given that we will help launch Fenway Park’s 100th anniversary season, we are doubly grateful for this opportunity.”

Fenway Park will again be the site of two great Hockey East matchups with two men’s college hockey teams taking the ice for an outdoor hockey doubleheader. The Hockey East games will feature Vermont taking on UMass in the early game and New Hampshire facing off against Maine in the nightcap.

“We look forward to kicking off Fenway Park’s 100th anniversary celebrations with Frozen Fenway 2012, which is a great way for thousands of families to come and enjoy favorite winter pastimes as we begin celebrating its milestone year,” said Red Sox executive vice president Sam Kennedy. “We want to thank Mayor Menino for his continued support, and welcome back Joe Bertagna and Hockey East to America’s Most Beloved Ballpark.”

“Boston is the best sports town in America and the capital of the hockey world. On January 7, 2012 it only gets better. This is going to be a great Hockey Day in New England. We saw how successful the Winter Classic was and I’m confident that top-notch college hockey at Fenway Park will make for another unforgettable experience, drawing fans from across the region and serving as a major platform to showcase the people, culture, and local businesses that make our city special,” Boston mayor Thomas M. Menino said. “As part of this event, I am proud to announce that there will be two full days of public skating during Frozen Fenway 2012. This will give families and children the chance to experience the ice, just like their favorite college players. I want to thank the Red Sox, the Hockey East Association, and the participating schools for working with the city to create this great event.”

While the New Hampshire and Maine hockey rivalry has often been referred to as the “Border War,” the upcoming doubleheader will create a four-way border war between the four competing state schools. The hockey games at Fenway Park will be the 56th all-time meeting between Vermont and UMass and the 111th all-time meeting between New Hampshire and Maine.

In the all-time series history, Vermont leads the series with UMass, 33-15-6 in 54 meetings. Maine leads the series against New Hampshire, 56-48-5 in 109 meetings. Both New Hamphire and Maine were ranked in the national polls last year with the Wildcats finishing second in the Hockey East standings and the Black Bears finishing in fifth place.

The 2012 hockey games at Fenway Park will mark the third time outdoor hockey has been played at the ballpark and the second time that college hockey games have been played since 2010. Boston U. defeated Boston College, 3-2, in the inaugural event on Jan. 8, 2010 in front of a soldout crowd, while New Hampshire bested Northeastern in the women’s game by a 5-3 score.